CSM Loadout

[Uprising]

While I do not play much as of late, I did buy some new units to restart one of my first 40k army.  I am curious what is the best to arm basic chaos space marine squads?  I have the unit from the shadowspear and a box of the new CSM squad.  I will most likely be going black legion this time.  Thank you for your time and advice is welcome. 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

When CSM are used in 8th, it tends to be in minimum sized squads and armed with bolters and a special or heavy weapon depending on their role.

 

- if their job is to sit on objectives, usually a lascannon.

- if their job is to move to objectives, usually a plasma gun with a combi-plasma on the sergeant.  

 

8th edition strongly favours shooting over melee, and CSM with chainswords + bolt pistols are so outclassed by other melee options that aren't really fielded this edition.

[Iron Father Ferrum]

I'd say there are three considerations:

 

1. Are they a base of fire unit?

2. Are they a maneuver unit?

3. Are they an assault unit?

 

 

Base of fire units will hold backfield objectives and provide long-range supporting fire. Bolters for the joes, lascannons, missile launchers, or autocannon for the heavy weapons.

 

Maneuver units operate in the midfield, providing medium range fires and are often mechanized. Bolters for joes, plasma or chaincannons for the gunners. Consider a combi-plasma and *maybe* a special CCW for the Champ.

 

Assault units attack the enemy in their own half of the table, and are almost always mechanized*. Pistol and chainsword are a viable option, and plasma, Malta, and flamers all have their place though plasma guns are widely considered the overall best choice.

 

*if running Black Legion, bolters and large squads are decent.

[MegaVolt87]

For my IW, I am doing 12 man bolter units with x2 rotor cannons. Only good up to 24' but dat firepower tho. 

[Tokugawa]

Backyard: autocannon.

Forward: minigun. You just cannot refuse heavy8, right?

[MegaVolt87]

I just painted up a HB havocs unit for my IW and I am already replacing it in my mind for a x4 autocannon unit. 

[Midnight Brotherhood]

Since you already have Shadowspear I would recommend using your melee CSM to act as chosen, Chosen are only 1pt more and are so much better than normal CSM for melee. Then because you have the new CSM box you can make 2 squads of 5 from that to go along with the remaining squad of 5 from Shadowspear. That gives you 3 troops for a battalion and the chosen can just be for fun.

 

Loadout wise I like to go for small CSM squads and use either a special weapon or heavy weapon depending on what you need. For me personally I now run 3 squads of 5 each with a heavy weapon - Missile Launcher, Heavy bolter, Reaper Chaincannon. They are there to move towards the objectives and hold them while the rest of my army does the heavy lifting in actually killing (though the CSM occasionally surprise me if I focus fire with all 3 squads). My lascannons and autocannons tend go on to my Havocs but they can work well in CSM squads too.

 

I don't know much about all of the new Black Legion strategems and goodies, maybe there is something there that can make big squads work for you. But I find with Chaos Space Marines that it's usually better to take the minimum on troops and invest in our much potent and destructive units in the elite, fast attack and heavy support slots.

[GreaterChickenofTzeentch]

For my IW, I am doing 12 man bolter units with x2 rotor cannons. Only good up to 24' but dat firepower tho. 

And dat Cold and Bitter tho. :)

[Uprising]

Thank you for the advice everyone.